Madame Leota
Madame Leota, also known as simply Leota, is a female ghost currently haunting Gracey Manor. Description Appearing in death as a green disembodied head inside her old crystal ball, Madame Leota is one of the most powerful magic users in the world, specializing in the manipulation of ectoplasm, and, as a consequence, necromancy. Leota is generally amoral, putting up with any rules as long as they don't restrain her magical practices but not having any inherent moral aversion to murder or other forms of abuse. She is a force respected and feared throughout the Mansion, but usually stays in her Séance Room away from all the racket and excitement, which would only be a distraction. Biography Early Life Precious little is known about Leota's origins. She was probably born in New-Orleans or thereabouts in the late 18th century or early 19th. Persistent rumors speak of a gypsy mother and a voodoo priest for a father, but, like most tales spun by the ghosts themselves, this story is of very dubious veracity. However, it is indeed probable that one or both of Leota's parents was or were also a magic user, as Leota's academic knowledge of witchcraft suggests. Gracey Manor At some point in the first half of the 19th century, Vincent Beauregard Gracey heard of Leota's proficiency at witchcraft and, because of his interest in ghosts, hired her as an "in-house psychic" for Gracey Manor. Leota became one more strange inhabitant of the large mansion, keeping to herself for the most part (though she appears to have had a brief romance with Robert Topper at some point). Unfortunately, she progressively developped an infatuation with Vincent Gracey himself. Whether through hypnosis or Gracey truly returning her feelings (if only briefly), she conceived a daughter from this fling. Vincent soon left her, the two avoiding each other while living the very same house. By the time the child was born, Leota hated its father, and she never cared in the least for the girl, not even enough to give her a name — so that she became only known as "Little Leota" throughout the house for lack of a better name. Life in the Mansion One by one, the various inhabitants of Gracey Manor died violent or unusual deaths, many of which are speculated to have been the work of Leota. The Hatbox Ghost, for one, is halfway-convinced that it is Leota who murdered him, though he has no evidence to back up this claim, leading to a long-lasting enimity between them. In the end, after the death of Little Leota in the swamps, Leota ended up the only living denizen of the house. As a form of petty revenge, Vincent Gracey's ghost forbid the other spooks from communicating with Leota, leaving her isolated in the large manorhouse for years. Thunder Mesa Her loneliness was only breached once, around 1850, when she was invited to travel to the West by Henry Ravenswood. This business baron had become paranoid about losing his empire and asked Leota for a spell that would grant him complete control over his lands forever and ever. Leota reluctantly cast the required curse, the very one that would forever bind Melanie Ravenswood inside what would come to be known as Phantom Manor. Death and Early Afterlife After summoning one last ghost from oblivion, Purply Shroud, Leota, who had gone quite mad, stopped eating and sleeping, peacefully breaking down her old body and allowing her to become a ghost as well, at which point she reasoned the others couldn't ignore her any longer. Unfortunately for her, an old failed curse cast at Vincent backfired to trap her spirit inside her own crystal ball. Only years later did she finally muster enough magic to cast herself out from the crystal prison, and then only for a few hours at a time. Still, she retained her abilities even from inside this strange cage, and soon became an asset to the ghosts of the Haunted Mansion, helping them materialize or fighting off the less friendly spirits. She was now respected and somewhat well-liked, time dulling the other ghosts' resentment, and she eventually became part of the Ghost Council. Mr Gool At some point in the 20th century, Leota met Abraham Gool, the heir of the Gracey Family through the O'Malley branch, who had now become the Head Butler at the Haunted Mansion (which had since been moved to Disneyland and turned into a ride). Gool and Leota surprisingly fell in love, and consider each other as husband and wife, though the mortal authorities (who obviously do not believe in ghosts) refuse to make it official. Index Index of Stories Featuring Madame Leota Origins Madame Leota is a First-Level Canon Character, as she appears prominently in the ride in the Séance Room tableau. Category:Characters Database Category:Female Category:Ghost Category:Canon Character Category:Psychic Category:Leota family